The present invention relates to an optical product such as plastic lenses, prisms, optical fibers, substrates for information recording, IR-absorbing filters, color filters and others. These optical products are made from a polymer obtained by using an asymmetric disulfide compound as an essential monomer component.
The present invention also relates to novel asymmetric disulfide compounds and to a method for producing the same. The novel asymmetric disulfide compounds are useful as a starting material for optical materials having a high refractive index and a high Abbe""s number.
Plastics are used for various optical applications these days, for example, for lenses and others, as being lightweight, hardly broken and easily colored when compared with glass. For optical plastic materials, generally used are poly(diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate) (CR-39) and poly(methyl methacrylate). However, these plastics have a refractive index of at most 1.50. Therefore, for example, when they are used for lens materials, the lenses produced become thicker with the increase in their power, and they lose the advantage of plastics that are lightweight. In particular, powerful concave lenses are thick at their periphery, and are therefore unfavorable as causing birefringence and chromatic aberration. For spectacles, in addition, such thick lenses are often not aesthetic. For obtaining thin lenses, it is effective to increase the refractive index of the materials for them. In general, the Abbe""s number of glass and plastics decreases with the increase in their refractive index, and, as a result, their chromatic aberration increases. Accordingly, desired are plastic materials having a high refractive index and a high Abbe""s number.
For plastic materials having such properties, for example, (1) polyurethanes obtained through addition-polymerization of a polyol having bromine in the molecule and a polyisocyanate (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 164615/1983); and (2) polythiourethanes obtained through addition-polymerization of a polythiol and a polyisocyanate (Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 58489/1992 and 148340/1993), are proposed. For the starting material, polythiol for the polythiourethanes of above (2), specifically proposed are branched polythiols having an increased sulfur atom content (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 270859/1990 and 148340/1993), and polythiols into which is introduced a dithian structure for increasing their sulfur atom content (Japanese Patent Publication No. 5323/1994 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 118390/1995). Further proposed are (3) polymers of an alkyl sulfide having a polymerization-functional group, episulfide (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 71580/1997 and 110979/1997).
However, though their refractive index is increased a little, the polyurethanes of above (1) still have a low Abbe""s number and have some other drawbacks in that their light fastness is poor, their specific gravity is high and therefore they are not lightweight. Of the polythiourethanes (2), those for which the starting polythiol used has a high sulfur content have an increased refractive index ranging from approximately 1.60 to 1.68, but their Abbe""s number is lower than that of optical inorganic glass having a refractive index on the same level. Therefore, they still have a problem in that their Abbe""s number must be increased more. On the other hand, one example of the alkyl sulfide polymers (3) having an Abbe""s number of 36 has an increased refractive index of 1.70. The lenses made of such polymer can be made extremely thin and lightweight. However, still desired are plastic materials of which both the Abbe""s number and the refractive index are more increased.
The present invention provides an optical product made of optical material having a high refractive index and a high Abbe""s number and having superior heat resistance, superior weather resistance and superior transparency. The invention also provides novel asymmetric disulfide compounds capable of giving optical materials of which both the refractive index and the Abbe""s number are high and which have superior heat resistance, superior weather resistance and superior transparency, and provides an efficient method for producing the compounds.
The invention provides an optical product comprising a polymer obtained by using at least one asymmetric disulfide compound as an essential monomer component. Preferably, the asymmetric disulfide compound is one obtained through reaction of (A) an O-alkyl-S-substituted sulfenylthiocarbonate with (B) a thiol.
The component (A), O-alkyl-S-substituted sulfenylthiocarbonate may be one obtained through reaction of an alkoxycarbonylsulfenyl halide (for example, a chloride) with a thiol that differs from the thiol for the component (B) Preferred examples of the substituent for the S-substitution in the compound are hydrocarbon groups, including, for example, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group (a vinyl group, etc.), an alkynyl group (a propargyl group, etc.), etc.
The asymmetric disulfide compound may be produced via the O-alkyl-S-substituted sulfenylthiocarbonate through reaction of an alkoxycarbonylsulfenyl halide with two different types of thiols, as in the following reaction schemes (1) and (2). 
In the above schemes, R1 represents an alkyl group (e.g., a lower alkyl group, preferably a methyl group, an ethyl group, etc.); R2 represents a thiol residue; and R3 represents a thiol residue that differs from R2.
For the two different types of thiols, various thiols can be used. For example, when the thiol used for synthesizing the component (A) is 1,2-dimercaptoethane, 1,2,3-trimercaptopropane, trimercaptomethane or dimercaptomethane, the thiol of the component (B) is preferably 2,3-epithiopropylmercaptan; and when the thiol used for synthesizing the component (A) is vinylmercaptan, propargylmercaptan or 2,3-epithiopropylmercaptan, the thiol of the component (B) is preferably 1,2-dimercaptoethane, 1,2,3-trimercaptopropane, trimercaptomethane or dimercaptomethane.
The reaction in the reaction scheme (1) is carried out in a solvent (e.g., dichloromethane) at 0 to xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. for 1 to 12 hours with dehydrochlorination. The resulting O-alkyl-S-substituted sulfenylthiocarbonate is, after optionally isolated and purified, then mixed with a pure thiol in the presence of from 10xe2x88x926 to 10xe2x88x923 mol % of an amine catalyst with stirring, according to the reaction scheme (2), to obtain the intended asymmetric disulfide of the invention.
The production method may be described as follows. Specifically, even though the thiol R2SH to constitute a part of the asymmetric disulfide compound is unstable at ambient temperature under atmospheric pressure, it is reacted with an alkoxycarbonylsulfenyl halide to give a stable O-alkyl-S-substituted sulfenylthiocarbonate having the structure of the thiol R2SH introduced thereinto, which can be stored at ambient temperature under atmospheric pressure. The reaction goes well even at relatively low temperatures at which the thiol is stable.
In addition, the reaction of the O-alkyl-S-substituted sulfenylthiocarbonate with the other thiol R3SH (the reaction according to the reaction scheme (2)) goes quantitatively, and gives the intended asymmetric disulfide that is substantially colorless and pure. The by-products, carbonyl sulfide and alkyl alcohol R1OH, are both volatile, and can be readily removed under reduced pressure.
Accordingly, an asymmetric disulfide not requiring purification is obtained from the pure O-alkyl-S-substituted sulfenylthiocarbonate and a thiol. In case where the intended asymmetric disulfide is difficult to purify or where less colored optical materials are desired to be obtained, this production method is useful.
In the alkoxycarbonylsulfenyl halide to be used in the first reaction, the alkoxy group is preferably a methoxy group or an ethoxy group for enabling easy removal of the alcohol to be formed in the next reaction.
The amine catalyst that may be used in the reaction scheme (2) includes triethylamine, benzylamine, dicyclohexylmethylamine, dimethylcyclohexylamine, 2,4,6-tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol, etc.
The asymmetric disulfide compounds obtained in the method described above are useful as a starting material for optical materials. One or more of the asymmetric disulfide compounds may be used either singly or in combination, and formed into polymers for optical materials. If desired, optional components of, for example, episulfide compounds, epoxy compounds, mixtures of iso(thio)cyanates and thiols to form thiourethanes, thiols, homopolymerizable vinyl monomers, etc. may be added to the asymmetric disulfide compounds for suitably improving the physical properties of the polymers produced from them.
Examples of the optional episulfide compounds are linear organic compounds such as bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)methane, 1,2-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)ethane, 1,3-bis(xcex2-epithio-propylthio)propane, 1,2-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)propane, 1-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-2-(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)propane, 1,4-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)butane, 1,3-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)butane, 1-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-3-(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)butane, 1,5-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)pentane, 1-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-4-(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)pentane, 1,6-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)hexane, 1-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-5-(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)hexane, 1-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-2-[(2-xcex2-epithiopropylthioethyl)-thio]ethane, 1-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-2-[(2-(2-xcex2-epithiopropylhioethyl)thioethyl)thio]ethane, etc.; branched organic compounds such as tetrakis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)methane, 1,1,1-tris(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)propane, 1,5-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-2-(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3-thiapentane, 1,5-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-2,4-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3-thiapentane, 1-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-2,2-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-4-thiahexane, 1,5,6-tris(xcex2epithiopropylthio)-4-(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3-thiahexane, 1,8-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-4-(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3,6-dithiaoctane, 1,8-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-4,5-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3,6-dithiaoctane, 1,8-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-4,4-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3,6-dithiaoctane, 1,8-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-2,4,5-tris(xcex2-epithiopropylthio methyl)-3,6-dithiaoctane, 1,8-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-2,5-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3,6-dithiaoctane, 1,9-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-5-(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-5-[(2-xcex2-epithiopropylthioethyl)thiomethyl]-3,7-dithianonane, 1,10-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-5,6-bis[(2-xcex2-epithiopropylthioethyl)thio]-3,6,9-trithiadecane, 1,11-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-4,8-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3,6,9-trithiaundecane, 1,11-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-5,7-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3,6,9-trithiaundecane, 1,11-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-5,7-[(2-xcex2-epithiopropylthioethyl)thiomethyl]-3,6,9-trithiaundecane, 1,11-bis(xcex2-epithiopropyl-thio)-4,7-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-3,6,9-trithiaundecane, etc., and compounds derived from them by substituting at least one hydrogen of the episulfide group therein with a methyl group; alicyclic organic compounds such as 1,3- and 1,4-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)cyclohexanes, 1,3- and 1,4-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)cyclohexanes, bis[4-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)cyclohexyl]methane, 2,2-bis[4-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)cyclohexyl]propane, bis[4-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)cyclohexyl]sulfide, 2,5-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)-1,4-dithian, 2,5-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthioethylthiomethyl)-1,4-dithian, etc., and compounds derived from them by substituting at least one hydrogen of the episulfide group therein with a methyl group; and aromatic organic compounds such as 1,3- and 1,4-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)benzenes, 1,3- and 1,4-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthiomethyl)benzenes, bis[4-(xcex2-epi-thiopropylthio)phenyl]methane, 2,2-bis[4-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)phenyl]propane, bis[4-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)-phenyl]sulfide, bis[4-(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)phenyl]sulfone, 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(xcex2-epithiopropylthio)biphenyl, etc., and compounds derived from them by substituting at least one hydrogen of the episulfide group therein with a methyl group, etc. One or more of these may be used herein either singly or as combined. Their amount to be used preferably is from 0.01 to 50 mol % of the total amount of the essential component, asymmetric disulfide.
Examples of the optional epoxy compounds are phenolic epoxy compounds produced through condensation of polyphenol compounds, such as hydroquinone, catechol, resorcinol, bisphenol A, bisphenol F, bisphenol sulfone, bisphenol ether, bisphenol sulfide, bisphenol sulfide, bisphenol A halides, novolak resins, etc., with epihalohydrins; alcoholic epoxy compounds produced through condensation of polyalcohol compounds, such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, neopentyl glycol, glycerin, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, pentaerythritol, 1,3- and 1,4-cyclohexanediols, 1,3- and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanols, hydrogenated bisphenol A, bisphenol A-ethylene oxide adduct, bisphenol A-propylene oxide adduct, etc., with epihalohydrins; glycidyl ester-based epoxy compounds produced through condensation of polycarboxylic acid compounds, such as adipic acid, sebacic acid, dodecanedicarboxylic acid, dimer acids, phthalic acid, iso-and terephthalic acids, tetrahydrophthalic acid, methyltetrahydrophthalic acid, hexahydrophthalic acid, hexahydroisophtalic acid, hexahydroterephthalic acid, HET acid, nadic acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, trimellitic acid, benzenetetracarboxylic acid, benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, diphenyldicarboxylic acid, etc., with epihalohydrins; amine-based epoxy compounds produced through condensation of primary amines, such as ethylenediamine, 1,2-diaminopropane, 1,3-diaminopropane, 1,2-diaminobutane, 1,3-diaminobutane, 1,4-diaminobutane, 1,5-diaminopentane, 1,6-diaminohexane, 1,7-diaminoheptane, 1,8-diaminooctane, bis(3-aminopropyl) ether, 1,2-bis(3-aminopropoxy)ethane, 1,3-bis(3-amino-propoxy)-2,2xe2x80x2-dimethylpropane, 1,2-, 1,3- or 1,4-bisaminocyclohexane, 1,3- or 1,4-bisaminomethylcyclohexane, 1,3-or 1,4-bisaminoethylcyclohexane, 1,3- or 1,4-bisaminopropylcyclohexane, hydrogenated 4,4xe2x80x2-diaminodiphenylmethane, isophoronediamine, 1,4-bisaminopropylpiperazine, m- or p-phenylenediamine, 2,4- or 2,6-tolylenediamine, m- or p-xylylenediamine, 1,5- or 2,6-naphthalenediamine, 4,4xe2x80x2-diaminodiphenylmethane, 4,4xe2x80x2-diaminodiphenyl ether, 2,2-(4,4xe2x80x2-diaminodiphenyl)propane, etc., or secondary amines, such as N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethylethylenediamine, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-1,2-diaminopropane, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropane, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-1,2-diaminobutane, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-1,3-diaminobutane, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-1,4-diaminobutane, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopentane, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-1,6-diaminohexane, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-1,7-diaminoheptane, N,Nxe2x80x2-diethylethylenediamine, N,Nxe2x80x2-diethyl-1,2-diaminopropane, N,Nxe2x80x2-diethyl-1,3-diaminopropane, N,Nxe2x80x2-diethyl-1,2-diaminobutane, N,Nxe2x80x2-diethyl-1,3-diaminobutane, N,Nxe2x80x2-diethyl-1,4-diaminobutane, N,Nxe2x80x2-diethyl-1,6-diaminohexane, piperazine, 2-methylpiperazine, 2,5- or 2,6-dimethylpiperazine, homo-piperazine, 1,1-di(4-piperidyl)methane, 1,2-di(4-piperidyl)ethane, 1,3-di(4-piperidyl)propane, 1,4-di(4-piperidyl)butane, etc., with epihalohydrins; alicyclic epoxy compounds such as 3,4-epoxycyclohexyl 3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate, vinylcyclohexane dioxide, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)-5,5-spiro-3,4-epoxycyclohexane-meta dioxane, bis(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl) adipate, etc.; epoxy compounds produced through epoxydation of unsaturated compounds, such as cyclopentadiene epoxide, epoxidated soybean oil, epoxydated polybutadiene, vinylcyclohexane epoxide, etc.; urethane-based epoxy compounds obtained from the above-mentioned polyalcohols, phenolic compounds with diisocyanates and glycidols, etc. One or more of these may be used herein either singly or as combined. Their amount to be used preferably is from 0.01 to 50 mol % of the total amount of the asymmetric disulfide compound of the invention.
Examples of the optional iso(thio)cyanates are xylylene diiso(thio)cyanate, 3,3xe2x80x2-dichlorodiphenyl 4,4xe2x80x2-diiso(thio)cyanate, 4,4xe2x80x2-diphenylmethane diiso(thio)cyanate, hexamethylene diiso(thio)cyanate, 2,2xe2x80x2,5,5xe2x80x2-tetrachlorodiphenyl 4,4xe2x80x2-diiso(thio)cyanate, tolylene diiso(thio)cyanate, bis(iso(thio)cyanatomethyl)cyclohexane, bis(4-iso(thio)-cyanatocyclohexyl)methane, bis(4-iso(thio)cyanatomethylcyclohexyl)methane, cyclohexane diiso(thio)cyanate, isophorone diiso(thio)cyanate, 2,5-bis(iso(thio)cyanatomethyl)bicyclo[2,2,2]octane, 2,5-bis(iso(thio)cyanatomethyl)bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane, 2-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-3-(3-iso(thio)cyanatopropyl)-5-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane, 2-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-3-(3-iso(thio)-cyanatopropyl)-6-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-bicyclo-[2,2,1]heptane, 2-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-2-[3-iso(thio)-cyanatopropyl]-5-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-bicyclo[2,2,1]-heptane, 2-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-2-(3-iso(thio)cyanatopropyl)-6-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane, 2-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-3-(3-iso(thio)cyanatopropyl)-6-(2-iso(thio)cyanatoethyl)-bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane 2-iso(thio)-cyanatomethyl-3-(3-iso(thio)cyanatopropyl)-6-(2-iso(thio)-cyanatoethyl)-bicyclo[2,2,1]hepta 2-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-2-(3-iso(thio)cyanatopropyl)-5-(2-iso(thio)cyanatoethyl)-bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane 2-iso(thio)cyanatomethyl-2-(3-iso(thio)cyanatopropyl)-6-(2-iso(thio)cyanatoethyl)-bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane
Examples of the optional thiols are 1,2-ethanedithiol, 1,3-propanedithiol, tetrakismercaptomethylmethane, pentaerythritol tetrakismercaptopropionate, pentaerythritol tetrakismercaptoacetate, 2,3-dimercaptopropanol, dimercaptomethane, trimercaptomethane, 1,2-benzenedithiol, 1,3-benzenedithiol, 2,5-bis(mercaptomethyl)-1,4-dithian, 1,4-benzenedithiol, 1,3,5-benzenetrithiol, 1,2-dimercaptomethylbenzene, 1,3-dimercaptomethylbenzene, 1,4-dimercaptomethylbenzene, 1,3,5-trimercaptomethylbenzene, toluene-3,4-dithiol, 1,2,3-trimercaptopropane, 1,2,3,4-tetramercaptobutane, etc.
Examples of the optional, homopolymerizable vinyl monomers are compounds having an ester structure of acrylic or methacrylic acid with mono- or polyalcohol, such as methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, ethylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol diacrylate, diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, triethylene glycol diacrylate, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,3-butylene glycol diacrylate, 1,3-butylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate, neopentyl glycol dimethacrylate, polypropylene glycol diacrylate, polypropylene glycol dimethacrylate, 2,2-bis[4-(acryloxyethoxy)phenyl]propane, 2,2-bis[4-(methacryloxyethoxy)phenyl]propane, 2,2-bis[4-(acryloxydiethoxy)phenyl]propane, 2,2-bis[4-(methacryloxydiethoxy)phenyl]propane, 2,2-bis[4-(acryloxypolyethoxy)phenyl]propane, 2,2-bis[4-(methacryloxypolyethoxy)phenyl]propane, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, pentaerythritol tetramethacrylate, bis(2,2,2-trimethylolethyl) ether hexaacrylate, bis(2,2,2-trimethylolethyl) ether hexamethacrylate, etc.; allyl compounds such as allyl sulfide, diallyl phthalate, diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate, etc.; and vinyl compounds such as acrolein, acrylonitrile, vinyl sulfide, etc.; aromatic vinyl compounds such as styrene, (xcex1-methylstyrene, methylvinylbenzene, ethylvinylbenzene, xcex1-chlorostyrene, chlorovinylbenzene, vinylbenzyl chloride, paradivinylbenzene, metadivinylbenzene, etc. One or more of these may be used herein either singly or as combined.
The amount of optical iso (thio) cyanates, thiols or homopolymerizable vinyl monomers to be used preferably is from 0.01 to 20 mol % of the total amount of the asymmetric disulfide compound of the invention.
To the polymerizable composition containing the asymmetric disulfide compound of the invention, if desired, optionally added is any other additives, such as UV absorbent, antioxidant, discoloration inhibitor, fluorescent dye and the like for improving the weather resistance of the resulting polymers, not interfering with the object of the invention. Also if desired, catalysts may be used for improving the polymerization reaction of the compound. For the catalysts usable herein, for example, amines, phosphines, quaternary ammonium salts, quaternary phosphonium salts, tertiary sulfonium salts, secondary iodonium salts, mineral acids, Lewis acids, organic acids, silicic acids, tetrafluoroboric acid and the like are effective in polymerization of episulfides and epoxy compounds; radical generators such as azobisisobutyronitrile, azobisdimethylvaleronitrile, benzoyl peroxide and the like are effective in polymerization of vinyl compounds; and dimethyltin dichloride, dilauryltin dichloride, amines and the like are effective in polymerization of iso(thio)cyanates with thiols.
Using the asymmetric disulfide compounds of the invention, optical materials can be produced, for example, according to the method described below.
A uniform composition containing the above-mentioned polymerizable compounds and other optional additives is first prepared, and this is cast into a glass or metal mold combined with a resin-made gasket, and heated and cured therein, according to a known method of casting polymerization. If desired, the mold may be pretreated for lubrication or a lubricant may be added to the composition, for facilitating good release of the resin after molding. The polymerization temperature varies, depending on the compounds used, but may generally be from xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. to +150xc2x0 C.; and the polymerization time may be from about 0.5 to 72 hours. After having been thus polymerized and released from the mold, the cast moldings may be readily dyed with any ordinary disperse dye in water or in an organic solvent. For facilitating the dyeing, a carrier may be added to the dye dispersion, or the dyeing bath may be heated. Though not limited thereto, the thus-obtained optical materials are especially useful for optical products such as plastic lenses, etc.